His offences carry a potential sentence of 66 years to life in prison.

‘Right after the judge asked if we wanted jurors polled, both attorneys said no – and then he [Jones] took a razor out of his left pocket and slashed his throat,’ prosecutor Heather Brown told City News Service.

‘His head hit the table and I thought he had fainted. But then I saw the blood and the razor on the table.’

The county Sheriff’s Department will now investigate how Jones, who had been free on bail, managed to sneak a razor blade through court security.